FIT FOR A MOM

With a little change in diet you can shed off those extra post-pregnancy kilos and be ship shape.

Putting on weight after you give birth to your bundle of joy is inevitable. But while most new mums resort to crash diets or spend extra hours at the gym, they must know that it is important to maintain basic fitness levels. Use a little tact and you can easily become your slim self again. We show you how.

MAKING UP FOR THE LOSS

In any normal delivery at least 300 to 350 ml of blood is lost. When the blood loss exceeds 500ml it’s termed as post-partum heamorrhage. After pregnancy the body needs to build up on the lost heamoglobin. Since heamoglobin carries oxygen to different parts of the body, low oxygen will affect the quality of your hair, skin, immunity and also make you feel tired.

Secondly since the mother will be breastfeeding the baby, the body also needs an extra dose of calcium, proteins and vitamins.

WATCH YOUR DIET

SMALL MEALS
Consume small frequent meals i.e. five to six mini meals instead of three main meals. For instance, if you have your breakfast at 8.30 am and lunch at 1.30 am, sneak in a mid-morning meal somewhere around 11.30 am. Make sure you eat something filling like a tall glass of milkshake, sprouts, soup or a plate of fruits. Do not mistake this for a diet plan and under-eat — two biscuits or a bowl of salad won’t do.

MORE LIQUID, CUT CAFFEINE

Caffeine is permitted in moderation i.e. not more than two cups of coffee a day. Caffeine is a stimulant that is not good for the baby, especially if you are breast- feeding. Instead, opt for other liquids and drink gallons of water. Add to your diet fresh fruit juices and milkshakes, especially with fruits such as apple and banana that will make up for the calcium requirement.

Also swap whole milk for skimmed milk; it has proteins minus the fat.

RESTRICT FRIED FOODS, NOT FATS

With the enthusiasm to lose weight ASAP, most lactating women completely cut down on fats. But one needs to understand the difference between good fat and bad fat. It’s best if you avoid fried foods like salty chips, bhajiyas, vadas, etc but give your body essential fats through nuts, homemade ghee (two to three tsps), paneer and olive oil.

BUILD ON ANIMAL PROTEIN

Proteins from lean white meat such as chicken and fish (deskinned) are a good option for lactating mothers. Whereas cholesterol rich red meat and organ meat that contain fats along with proteins should be consumed sparingly. For vegetarians, animal protein can come through curds, chaas and lassi.

SUBSTITUTE

In order to lose weight instantly, you need not skip food. Instead substitute it for healthier options. Like jaggery for sugar, water melon juice for cola and brown rice for its polished cousin. Opt for flours like ragi, nachini, bajra, jowar and soy that give the needed energy.

INCREASE FIBRE

Keep away from refined flours like maida and its products such as noodles, spaghetti and bread that take a long time to get digested. It is important for lactating mothers to improve the fibre content in their diet. Foods like spinach, methi, gourd, pumpkin, lady finger, brinjal, bitter gourd, peas, mushroom and bellpeppers are packed with fibre. Fibre improves digestion, controls sugar, promotes satiety, and provides anti-oxidants and vitamins that are important post-pregnancy.

EXERCISE

For women who have undergone cesarean surgery, it’s best to stay away from exercise for six months after the delivery. But exercise can usually begin 40 days after a normal delivery. You can do the following:

WALK

Brisk walking for 20 to 30 minutes is good enough for a beginner. Make sure you do not strain the leg muscles too much, increase the time gradually.

YOGA

Post-pregnancy, yoga is the best way to improve posture. Regularly practise surya namaskar, cobra pose or the inverted-V. Yoga will also work on your breathing pattern and concentration.

DANCE AND GROUP AEROBICS

Dancing or working out with music releases happiness hormones in the body. Post delivery, women often go through depression and low-body image. Dance and aerobics can help combat that.

D-EFFICIENCY

Not getting your daily dose of Vitamin D because you can’t stand the sun’s harsh rays? This article shows how to make up for it with the right food.




Vitamin D is perhaps the single most underrated nutrient. That’s probably because it’s free: Your body makes it when sunlight touches your skin. It’s essential for bone health because without it, even popping calcium pills won’t work — your body needs this vitamin to absorb calcium. Of late, with the increasing use of beauty products with high sun-protection factor, Vitamin D deficiency is on the rise. In fact, even weak sunscreens (with as little as SPF-8), block your body’s ability to generate vitamin D by 95 per cent.

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to several diseases like arthritis, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and even schizophrenia and certain cancers. If these life-long debilitating conditions aren’t scary enough to make you step out, top up on Vitamin D rich foods instead.

VITAMIN D AT EVERY AGE

PRE-TEENS AND TEENS

Forty-five per cent of your skeletal mass is added during puberty and adolescence. So Vitamin D is needed greatly at this stage. Rickets, a condition characterised by soft bones, typically affects children deficient in Vitamin D.

Start your day with some fortified orange juice (142 IUs per 100 ml glass) or some fresh fruit milkshake (approximately 140 IUs). Paneer contains (140 IUs per 30 to 40 gm) and yoghurt contains as much Vitamin D as milk — 98 IUs per 100 ml (non-fat fortified milk). Give up those fizzy colas, tea and coffee since caffeine tends to leach calcium from the bones.

IN YOUR 20S

In your ‘fast living decade’, between hectic work schedules and dating, instead of ‘convenient’ foods such as burgers and pizzas, opt for a tuna salad (85 gm tuna contains 200 IUs). Your 20s are the last chance to lay down new bones. Gulp down two large glasses of vitamin D fortified non-fat milk every day (one glass contains 100 IUs). The calcium-Vitamin D combination helps your body to absorb its benefits.

IN YOUR 30S

Thirties might be the new 20s, but not so from your bones’ viewpoint. Now you cannot drastically change your skeletal structure, but can definitely maintain it. Just concentrate on not allowing your bone density to drop. Apart from an active lifestyle, have tuna twice a week and mushrooms once a week (85 gm of mushrooms gives 100 per cent Vitamin D). Fortified cereal with whole milk is a good breakfast choice.

IN YOUR 40S

At this stage, several lifestyle diseases rear their ugly heads. By now, you spend several hours indoors either working or caring for your family and probably don’t get much sunshine. Make sure you eat dark green leafy vegetables thrice a week and foods such as salmon (100 gm contains 360 IUs), mackerel (100 gm contains 345 IUs), sardines (50 gm contains 250 IUs), fortified dairy products and cereals.

50S AND UP

The need for Vitamin D increases after 50 and it’s difficult to meet them without unrealistic diets. Ask your doctor about supplements. Have a whole egg (20 IUs) thrice a week and fatty fish twice a week.


DATA ON D

• Fruits and vegetables are internal sunscreens and can allow you to stay under the sun twice as long without burning. Fruits with this ability include super fruits such as strawberries, pomegranates and kiwis.

• Vitamin D is generated by your kidneys and liver, so kidney disease or liver damage can greatly impair your body’s ability to form the vitamin.

• The healing rays of sunlight cannot penetrate glass, so you don’t generate vitamin D when sitting in your car or home.

• Your body can’t generate too much Vitamin D from sunlight exposure: It will self-regulate and only generate what it needs.

• If it hurts to press firmly on your sternum, you may be suffering from chronic Vitamin D deficiency right now.

Tie Tips

1 As the tie is worn at eye-level and in the centre of your body, it is the most eye-catching piece of your ensemble.

2 Always buy your suit first, then a tie and then the shirt. Now you have more options for the tie, instead of restricting it to match your suit and shirt.

3 The three classic ties you need to own are: a diagonally striped one (in blue, red or maroon), a small polka dotted one and one in self texture.

4 Never wash your tie, or even dry clean it; spot clean a stain. A tie is made up of three fabrics — silk, terry wool (on the inside) and a synthetic base — all of which have different shrinking rates. Washing or dry cleaning will spoil its shape.

5 The tie can be matched to the shirt or suit; all three must be from the same colour family for formal occasions.

6 Tone-on-tone ties are best suited to formal social events, such as wedding receptions. The tie should be the same colour as your shirt (or the closest hue) with a self detail such as an interesting weave or paisleys.

7 Polka-dotted, diagonally striped and ties with small motifs are best for work.

8 Contrast a black suit with a grey shirt and a red or maroon tie. A grey suit can be worn with a light blue shirt and a dark blue or indigo tie. Wear a neutral coloured shirt with a navy blue suit and a blue, black, red or maroon tie.

9 A bright yellow tie must be restricted to a white shirt, but any coloured jacket will do.

10 A soldier cut tie — with a symmetrical taper — comes out with more body from the knot. This makes it more suited to threepiece suits. Use the four-in-handknot so that the knot isn’t bulky.

11 A bottle shaped tie suits most corporate wear and should be tied in a Windsor or half-Windsor knot for body.

12 Slim, straight cut ties, in experimental textures such as knits suit young, casual dressers. You can wear it with a short-sleeved shirt. Ideally, wear it loose or askew with the top button of the shirt open.

13 Novelty ties shaped like a bottle or guitar and with motifs such as cars or hearts are great for working holidays or uniforms.

EAT MORE, WEIGH LESS

Too good to be true? Try these foods to whittle down your waist.

1
SARDINES:

They are high in protein and omega-3 fats, which shifts flab while maintaining muscle tone and healthy skin. Also, Leptin, the protein fish contains, controls your appetite.

Eat more:

Try a lunchtime sardine melt. Mix sardines with onion, pepper and parsley and spread on a French stick. Sprinkle with grated low-fat Cheddar or Parmesan and grill.


2
EGGS:

Women on a low-cal diet who ate an egg each morning lost twice as many kilos as those who had cereal, according to a recent study.

Eat more:

A poached egg on toast offers a balanced start to the day and egg sandwiches, mixed with tuna, not mayo, are a great lunch choice.


3

OATS:

They’re one of the most filling foods and unlike carbs have little impact on your blood sugar. They’re rich in soluble fibre, which has an anti-bloating effect and can lower cholesterol.

Eat more:

Try a Swiss dish known as bircher. Mix a little cold semiskimmed milk or low-fat yoghurt with twotbsp of oats, grated apple, honey to taste and a handful of chopped almonds.

4
CHILLIES:

Spicing up meals can kick start a sluggish metabolism. This is thanks to the compound capsaicin which has a ‘thermogenic effect’ that causes the body to burn more fat for 20 minutes after you eat them.

Eat more:

Freshly chopped red chillies add a kick to salads or stir-fries, while half a teaspoon is enough to heat up sauces, soups or stews.

5
BROCCOLI:

This contains antioxidants which help beat cellulite. Fat cells on the thighs are surrounded by a network of tissue known as the septa. When fat pushes through this, we get the dreaded dimpling. Nutrients in green veggies increase the strength of the septa, so fat cells stay beneath the surface.

Eat more:

Steam and eat once a day with your evening meal. Or stir-fry with sliced garlic, sesame oil and a splash of soy sauce.

TESTING TIMES

A check-up is often a warning bell for dangers ahead. Here’s why you shouldn’t miss your yearly appointment with the doc

AGE 25

TESTS:
Blood and urine test, chest X-ray and an ECG

WHY: You might be perfectly healthy, but tests at this age give you a baseline for the future.

BENEFITS: The tests primarily tell you if there is any deviation from the norm.

• Chest X-ray is important considering the city lifestyle — long working hours, train travel, dust and pollution. Very useful in detecting lung cancer, early TB and emphysema (a chest ailment).

AGE 30

TESTS: All tests at 25 plus tests to check cholesterol and glucose levels

WHY: It’s that time when you are well-settled in your career. But it’s also when unhealthy lifestyle practices creep in. BENEFITS It gives a clear indication of stress-related ailments — mainly blood pressure and diabetes.

• Ultrasounds detect Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), indications of which are weight gain, lethargy, irregular periods etc.

AGE 35

TESTS: Everything you have done at 30 plus thyroid tests

WHY: You are slowly approaching middle age. Hence any disease, if lurking around can be detected and treated early.

FOR WOMEN: Pap smear and mammogram; blood tests to check sugar levels and blood pressure.

BENEFITS: Thyroid function tests can help rule out any thyroid disorder, especially hypothyroidism. Ideally these tests can begin from 25 onwards.

• Pap smear, which should ideally be done as soon as women start becoming sexually active, can detect cervical cancer at an early stage and improve treatment outcomes. Ditto for breast cancer.


•DID YOU KNOW?

The growing risk of cervical cancer in women in India (aged 0-64 years) is 2.4 per cent compared to 1.3 per cent for the rest of the world.

AGE 40

TESTS: Everything you have done at 35 plus an eye exam

WHY: Because you are most vulnerable to diabetes and cholesterol troubles at this age.

FOR WOMEN: Pap smear, mammogram and ultrasonography of abdomen.

BENEFITS: Headaches, fatigue and other problems are often caused by vision problems. Many diseases can be detected by an eye-doctor including diabetes.

• Women approach menopause hence a sonography that screens everything — the liver, pancreas, spleen, bladder etc — is essential.


•DID YOU KNOW?

Indians develop diabetes at least 10 to 15 years earlier than the western population

AGE 45

TESTS: Include 2-D Echo cardiogram

WHY: Heart ailments are more likely to strike.

FOR WOMEN: Bone densitometry and mammogram.

BENEFITS: A 2-D echo cardiogram shows the functioning of the heart.

• Women at this age are more vulnerable to osteoporosis, especially at the perimenopause stage, hence such tests can help prevent and treat the condition.


•DID YOU KNOW?

A woman’s risk of developing an osteoporosis-related hip fracture is equal to her combined risk of developing breast uterine and ovarian cancer.

AGE 50

TESTS: Cardiac stress test

WHY: As you get old er, there are more chances of cardiac problems increasing

FOR WOMEN: Sonography of the uterus and ovary; stress tests.

BENEFITS:

• Early tests can - help detect cancers.

• Cardiac stress tests diagnose the presence and extent of Coronary . Artery Disease.


•DID YOU KNOW?

Rate of heart attacks among Indians younger than 45 years of age is five times higher than in other population

AGE 55

TESTS: Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test

WHY: PSA is a blood test that can indicate prostate cancer. If the level is high, a biopsy of the prostate may be indicated.

BENEFITS:

• Early detection can prevent the cancer from spreading.

LIFESTYLE REVIEW

These tests should ideally be a part of your annual routine.But at a younger age, you can even do them once in two-three years.But after 40, try to allot at least one day in the year for your health. Also if there is a family history of the disease, conduct the tests more frequently. Plus these tests give you an opportunity to review your lifestyle. Work towards your health accordingly.


• MAKE A FOOD LOG

Write down everything you eat and drink for a day (including amounts). Review the list for easy calories to drop, bad habits, and opportunities for improvement.

• EXERCISE CHECK

If you are exercising less than three times a week, know that you need to do more.

• STRESS CHECK

Make a list of things that stress you and things that you do that relax you. Subtract stressors and add relaxers until you have the same number on each list.

YUMMY BOX IDEAS!

This article gives a quick insight on the tasty recipes for school going kids.

After a summer filled with yummy snacks and great food, it is time for your child to return to the snack box! Quite a change, a snack box is not a very exciting thing to look forward to! Don’t believe me? Then try packing a hot snack into a snack box, put it in a bag full of books and then 3 hours later, open the box to eat it……… uugh! First the smell will assail you and then your eyes will open wide with disgust at the soggy contents, all mixed up and mashed up and then as the clock ticks to the end of the recess time, you have to eat it all to quieten the growls in your stomach. Not a very pretty picture, right?

Well, it need not be so bad, if you plan it well. Yes, one of the most important things that all mothers need to focus on is to prepare the child for a snack time.

Focus on your selection of a snack box

It should not be too heavy, don’t add more weight to what your child is already carrying to school. It should be able to keep food intact and compact. It should be easy to open and close. Look for boxes that have an inbuilt spoon etc, so that even if you forget to give that spoon, no problem.

Practise at home

The second step is to see that your child practises at home with the snack box! It is important that your child is able to use the snack box and if you do not help him use it, both of you will not understand what works and what does not. So mummies can start in the last week of the holidays by packing a snack in the school snack box in the afternoon and then give it to your child to eat at evening snack time. Keep in mind to pack the same snacks that you would give your child in school. This will give you an idea of what stays good and what gets soggy, what smells etc.

Most mummies have a complain, ‘My child does not finish his snack box’. Well, it is a basic need and if that is not met then the child will have concentration and attention problems. But what makes children not want to complete their snacks? It can be a variety of reasons like soggy food, broken food, leaking snack box, smelly snack box, etc.

Remember diet activates memory, so to remember what is taught in school, your child needs his snack. Another important fact is about brain development — the brain needs oxygen, glucose and chemicals. If your child is in a stuffy classroom then oxygen is already less and if he does not get glucose (from food and not glucose water, please!) then naturally he is going to be cranky and irritable, which are negative emotions and will release negative chemicals to the brain.

If your question is that, ‘I feed my child breakfast then why should I send a snack box with my child?’ Well, your child’s liver can only store glucose for 4 hours, so if you calculate from breakfast to his snack time, it is almost 4 hours and think of all the activity that the body has done in between, of course he needs a snack.

THINGS TO AVOID
Avoid oily food, no fried food, or only once a week. No snacks with maida. Substitute that white bread with a healthier option. No food items that will drip, stain and dribble. Cheese to be used in limited quantities.

Potato Wafers, and other packaged foods, a complete no-no. Find out three things that your child likes and alternate them, don’t aim to have 30 days different snack, remember it’s about your child and his snack and not about you winning some cookery contest. Avoid fancy recipes that look nice on the dining table, they may not stay nice in a snack box. Please tell your child what is in the snack box. Don’t play guessing games or surprise games your child may constantly try to open the snack box to take a peek. And yes, just because you send a snack box with your child, does not mean that you can skip that breakfast. Your child needs his early morning meal, and don’t stuff the snack box with breakfast left overs. Please send a napkin, and avoid tissue paper!

And don’t forget to send a small note, (can be taped on the box) with some cute messages, your child may just need that little pep dose after all that school work. We have a small selection of snacks for you, so have fun, and make your child’s back to school days as yummy as possible.

HONEY BEARS

Brown bread, honey, shredded Beetroot and carrots, butter Roasted crushed peanuts
Method
Apply butter on bread slices. Grate carrot and beetroot. Mix carrot, beetroot and peanuts. And then honey. Put mixture on bread.

MAGIC SLICES
Potato chip and french fries — all the time is not good for health. So try some magic slices made from tapioca (the richest source of calcium) and ‘kand’ and instead of frying, bake them.

SANDWICH FUN

For all your usual sanwiches, buy some big cookie cutters which come in different shapes, and cut the sandwiches with them. What a delight for your child when he opens his snack box and finds a cute star sandwich with a smile on it (put the smile with ketchup).

TRIED OF CHAPPATI?

Try Jumbo’s pizza. Make any sabzi, mash it and spread it on a chappati and make it look like a pizza. Here again use the cookie cutters and you have nice little bites that the child would love to eat. For very fussy children, add a thin layer of ketchup before spreading the sabzi and add some grated cheese. But avoid too much of ketchup and cheese on everything.

Other options to add on sandwich and parathas are palak chutney and mint chutney, spread thin on the chappati and paratha, crumble some paneer on it, cut with cookie cutter and tell your child to expect a small ‘green forest’ in his snack box.

The recipes given above are for a short snack time which is 15 to 20 minutes. You can try out different versions of recipes for the lunch time box.

BACK TO ROOTS

Diet, according to Ayurveda, defines the nature of a person, his response to circumstances, mindset and moods. Ayurveda classifies food materials into several groups such as grains, grams (dhaanya varga), types of milk and milk products (ksheera varga), vegetables and fruits (saaka varga), types of meat (maamsa varga) etc.

The solid diet consumed should take up half the capacity of the stomach, the liquids should take a quarter and the fourth quarter should be left free to aid digestion. The order of the intake of food — sweet and heavy food first, sour and salty tastes next and the meal should end with astringent and bitter food substances.

BROCCOLI AND MOONG BEAN BAKE

Ingredients: 1/2 cup moong dal, 1 cup broccoli florets (chopped), 4 cups water, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1/2 tsp ginger (minced), 1 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped), 2 tbsps ghee, salt and black pepper to taste

Method: Wash moong dal and add water to it. Cook it in a pressure cooker until tender. Mix it with broccoli, lime juice, ginger, salt and black pepper. Grease a shallow baking dish with ghee. Scoop the mixture into the dish and drizzle more ghee on top. Bake at 350-375 degrees for 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

SAUTEED ASPARAGUS

Ingredients: 2 cups asparagus stems (diced), 2 tbs water, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp cumin seed, ¼ tsp turmeric, ¼ sweet paprika, ½ cup almonds (sliced), 2 tbs ghee

Method: Heat ghee. Add cumin seed and stir briefly and add turmeric and paprika. Now add the asparagus stems and sauté for 2-3 minutes more. Now cover the pan and stir occasionally. Add water to prevent sticking. Add in the almonds and cook for two more minutes. Serve hot.

MIXED VEGETABLE SAUTE

Ingredients: 1 small white radish (peeled), 1 medium zucchini, 1 medium carrot (peeled), 1 fennel bulb, 6-8 almonds (soaked and slivered), 2 tbs ghee, 1-2 tbs water, salt and pepper to taste

Method: Wash and slice all the vegetables finely. Heat ghee in a large flat pan. Sauté the almonds and add all the vegetables. Stir for a couple of minutes and cover the pan. Cook the vegetables on medium flame until tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

SWEET AND SOUR CARROTS

Ingredients: 1 cup carrot (sliced), 1 tbsp raisins, rock salt and black pepper to taste, 1/2 tsp minced ginger root, 1 tsp fresh parsley, 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1/8 tsp fresh lemon peel, 1/8 tsp crushed cardamom, 1 tbsp ghee

Method: Steam the carrot for 5-6 minutes until tender. Heat ghee in a pan and sauté the raisins. Now add carrots, ginger cardamom, salt and pepper. Stir for three to four minutes. Drizzle lemon juice, the peel and parsley. Serve hot.

IT’S A HUGH DEAL

If Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan’s six packs in Om Shanthi Om and Ghajini respectively motivated you to pump iron, wait till you hear the real deal from Hollywood. Hugh Jackman, playing Wolverine in the latest X-Men flick, has lived his ‘animal’ avatar we will see on screen. In an interview, he tells us how Wolverine’s fights with the mutants are laced with SFX but his physique is the result of a hardcore diet and exercise plan.

THE LOOK

As per the brief given to its co-creators, Wolverine was supposed to be a small, ferocious creature with cat-like features and claws. Being medium built, that made him an ‘angry little guy’.

Also, I was adamant that in this film, there would be moments where people would see the character and think, ‘Oh, my, this guy’s a freak, an animal.’ I didn’t want to look pretty; but I didn’t want to be a bodybuilder either. I wanted to have a tight, ripped kind of look. You must feel that if you look at me the wrong way, I’m going to rip your head off!

WOLVERINE WORKOUT

I started working out for this body almost a year ago. Building muscle takes longer than losing fat; it needs real dedication to make that happen.

• I focused on weights, often very heavy weights. I moved heavy iron, did bench press, barbell rows, heavy barbell lunges, squats... I was squatting and benching around 143 kgs.

• My cardio mostly included high-intensity running, utilising a high-intensity interval-training format. There was no jogging and the workout was supplemented with protein shake to help my body recover.

• Also, I made sure to ‘cycle’ the Wolverine workout. People either never change their workout, or they change too often and too much. I wasn’t doing the same thing forever. I stuck on a phase long enough to cause a result, and then I changed.

• This was a three-week cycle. I did three weeks of heavy sets, with lots of rest. Then I did three weeks of lighter sets, with slower tempo (three seconds down, one second up. Or four seconds down, two seconds up). The last phase of the cycle was three weeks of explosive lifting.

MY DIET PLAN

I realised that training is all about eating. My trainer says, ‘How you look is 30 per cent how you train and 70 per cent how you eat.’

• My diet, prescribed by an Aussie guy, a natural bodybuilding champion was insane! I woke up at 4 am and ate egg whites with no salt because he said, ‘Salt will puff you up.’ Then he joked, ‘Man, you’re going to love this meal because you get a dry piece of whole meal toast. That’s the only bread and carbs you get all day, so enjoy it.’ So I had to look forward to waking up and having my dry toast and egg whites.

• I would then go back to bed and get up at six to have a full meal. It went like that for the rest of the day, eating the exact amount of calories, a lot of fish, chicken and vegetables — six to eight chicken breasts a day. My trainer allowed me a cheat meal on Christmas day. I’ve never eaten so much in my life!

THE X-FACTOR

Jackman’s fitness mantras…

• Will Smith once told me, ‘It’s easier to stay ready than to get ready’. I agree, I want to be prepared for future roles.

• The secret of my physical achievements is brainpower. I am always searching for the tipping point between what the mind wants and what the body can achieve.

• I don’t set goals.We limit ourselves with goals.We have far more ability than we give ourselves credit for. What do you think happens at the 100-metre Olympic race? When it’s once every four years, with everything they’ve done leading to that,it can’t just be adrenaline.Maybe it’s just the mind getting out of the way.

• As for Wolverine, he wouldn’t make excuses about gymming or punk out on his workouts! So this body is just a natural consequence of living the character.